The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-07
HAYTIAN CANNIBALS.
Little Children offered as Sacri-
foes to the Serpent

SC00eb
The NeO York World has given n
terrible expose Of the oannibalism OF
Hay ii, an excerpt from which is append
ed. The Worlds informant was con-
nected with large business interests on
the island. He objects to publication
of his name, because the revelation
would not only greatly injure the bust
ness of those with whom he is connect
ed. but might very likely put their lives
in serious danger.
Last spring" he says, 81 spent
some weeks in Cap Haitien. one OF the
largest and most important cities In
nayti. and while there met num-
Der of Dominican gentlemen, who, for
various reasons. had been compelled to
spend long time in the sister repub-
lie. These gentlemen talked n great
deal about the existence Of cannibalism,
and insisted that its existence was not,
as all Haytians claim, merely in the
minds Of writers who desired to publish
sensational stories. / had shut my ears
and eyes to the customs of the country
people, and, moreover, | never allowed
myself to think 1t possible that such
horrible practices as these gentlemen
assured me were common existed.
Therefore tried in every way con-
sistently could to disabuse them OF the
illusions which | thought they enter
tanned. Among these Dominicans was
one, who, irritated by my constant de-
mails, determined to prove to me that
his assertions were true. In April the
workers on one Of the coffee planta-
tons near Le Cap intended having some
kind of q demonstration IN honor OF
one of their superstitious anniversa-
ries, and my friend learned that, Incl
dontal to the Voudoo worship (Which
by the way. unaccompanied by human
sacrifices, no Haytian will deny, exists,
there would be human sacrifice. In
some manner, my friend had ingratiated
himself with certain OF the negro labor
ers who were to attend the sacrifices,
and induced them to allow him and me
to be present also. On the evening of
April 10, 1886, he came to my house,
where both of us dressed ourselves In
the ordinary country workingman's
costume, and then had our hands and
faces we'll BACKED by the negro who
was TO conduct us to the Voudoo tenn
pie. To reach the temple we rode out
over the smooth wagon road which runs
out to and through the place called
Heaux du Cap, and when we had gotten
about three miles beyond the little tav-
ern in that place, where everybody
stops for refreshments, our conductor
suddenly left the highway, and by a
little winding bride path, led us up the
big mountain to spot about half way
up the side.
THE voUDoo ''TEMPLE."
Here the negroes had constructed a
rude wooden shanty among the trees
and where It could hardly be noticed
by any casual passer-by, II such there
might be in that lonely quarter. Into
this miserable hut we we're ushered by
our guide, who, to obtain admittance,
uttered some signal words to the two
brawny negroes who stood guard at the
entrance and who closely Intercepted
every person who entered. We were
apparently little late. In the single
room there was motley crowd OF
negroes---men and women congregat-
ed around sort of wooden throne
erected in the middle of the room. On
this throne, arrayed in many colored
long gowns and adorned with much
tawdry finery. there sat on chairs
draped with flaming red cloth a man
and woman. They were the Papaloi
and the Mamanloi, or the priest and
priestess ofithe order Of the Voudoos.
At their feet was the box which con-
tanned the holy serpent which was
being worshipped by this ungodly
assemblagc. Behind the throne was
stretched across from wall to wall a
red cloth partition which divided the
room, OF, rather, which made another
and smaller apartment behind it. As
we entered the people were singing a
chant-low and monotonous---a at a
sign from our mentor we---my friend
and I---joined it.
AWFUL DELIRIUM.